


growing up beside you

by mooselady



Category: Ava's Demon
Genre: F/M, warning for mild violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-06
Updated: 2015-03-06
Packaged: 2018-03-16 12:53:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3488966
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mooselady/pseuds/mooselady
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Why don’t you swallow your pride and just say sorry?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	growing up beside you

**Author's Note:**

> [magpielady.tumblr.com](https://magpielady.tumblr.com/)

The dark, empty ship was quiet, the echo of some internal leak dripping steadily on the floor. There was muffled arguing coming from outside, followed by the opening of the craft’s entrance. The bickering pair emerged, the cold bitter air of the winter planet drifting in with them.

"You are really unbelievable, you know that?" the redhead sneered heatedly. She flung the bag of berries she had just gathered unto the ship’s bench. It bounced off violently, dropping to the floor. 

"R-really? I can easily say the s-same about you," Odin retorted dryly. He set his rucksack on the ground forcefully. The tall boy shifted out of his coat, his movements clipped and harsh. 

Ava spun on the boy, barking out, “Why don’t you swallow your pride and just say sorry?”

Her face was blazing red, shoulders trembling, heart beating much too fast. He scoffed and rolled his eyes, a bitter apathy on his face. He side-stepped the much shorter girl, strolling past her with that practiced, self-taught indifference. Ava reached out and grabbed his arm, pulling him back. 

"Stop being an ass and apologize!" she bellowed. 

He looked down at her, eyes half-lidded in a glare. He yanked away from her grip, walked into the ship’s private backroom, and shut the door. 

Ava made a noise of unbridled anger from the back of her throat. She balled up her fists, shaking, heat rising to every extremity of her body. Jerking herself into a fretful pace, she tried unzipping the thick winter coat from her body. It stuck, and she shrieked in frustration at the direction of the door, “At least I don’t stutter like an idiot all the time!”

The moment she said it, instant regret slammed into her chest.

The door flew open, Odin’s dark silhouette coming across the threshold towards her.

He hovered over her, finger pointed down her nose. He was shaking, and Ava knew she had hit a nerve. 

"Don’t you e- _ever_ ," he hissed. "D-d-don’t y-y-you…"

His voice faltered, stammering, unable to get the fervid words out. Ava saw the anguish in his eyes, as if the words he wanted to say were screaming at him in his mind. 

The boy spun around on his heels, rubbing his eyes with the palms of his hands, then turned back to face her, his body trembling. 

"I’m n- _not_ apologizing,” he breathed darkly, his expression saturated with arrogance. 

Ava’s blood started to boil in rekindled fury. 

She laughed starkly. 

"Of course not Odin. That’s just not you, is it?"

She returned her attention back to the zipper, still stubbornly refusing to break free. 

"You…are…so…typical," she huffed. 

The zipper didn’t budge and she cursed sharply under her breath. 

"Goddammit!" she screeched, her foot stomping on the ground. 

Odin rolled his eyes. “H-here,” he said curtly, stepping forward and reaching out to pull the zipper free. 

She drew back tensely, growling out loudly, “ **Don't touch me!** ” 

He blinked, wide-eyed.

He strode forward again, but she backed away, baring her suddenly inhuman, yellow sharp teeth. Lips curled, eyes blazing red, she shook with that old ancient rage; rage that was always there, always waiting. 

Odin had seen her like this before, but never had experienced that dreadful wrath himself. He saw her balled up fists, the nails digging so intensely into her palms that he feared she would break her skin. 

"Ava, calm d-down," he stated, his hand still outreached. 

She swatted at his hand, fingers rigid and crooked, her nails sharp and clawed. The small girl’s breath was ragged, skin white hot, her muscles wound as if ready to pounce. A drop of magma formed at the corner of her mouth. If looks could kill, Odin would be drawing his last breath. 

The boy lingered, looking down at her, a trace of fear in his violet eyes. However, he furrowed his brow, scowling. Stubbornly, he moved forward despite her threatening, carnal stance. 

He didn’t pull back when she flailed this time. 

The dark haired boy grasped her firmly by the shoulders, ignoring her protests and swears. 

"Calm. down. **now** ," he beseeched. She blindly pulled her hand back, intending to slap him, but he grabbed her wrist mid-air. He could feel the ungodly heat coming from her skin through the coat. "C-calm down," he repeated, determined. 

Ava shook greatly, her nose flaring with each breath. 

They stood like this for what felt like eternity, the tall, towering boy gripping her wrist, one hand on her shoulder; the petite, short redhead simmering down, regaining her senses. The clock on the ship’s dash flickered into a new number. Outside, the chilled frosty wind blew over the spacecraft, nestling into the harsh grey landscape. Ava’s breathing slowed, and she began to relax her muscles. 

Odin loosened his hold. 

"A-are you okay?" he asked, emphasizing each vowel. 

She closed her eyes, swallowing a thick pool of lava, then nodded. 

He lowered her hand and released his grip, reaching up to rub his own hand down his face. 

The girl’s eyes caught sight of a fresh, open cut on his hand and she gasped.

He looked at her, then his hand, now noticing the budding trickle of blood gathering on the wound. 

She choked out a muffled sound of distress, an awful combination of panic and shame taking hold of her. 

"H-hey, it’s okay," he started, but the girl flinched away. She edged around him, then dashed quickly into the restroom. Her hands trembled as she locked the door. She backed into the corner, holding her head, and slid down to the floor. The glow of her alien flesh lit the darkness of the tiny room, her ears ringing. Hot tears gathered on the brim of her eyes. They fell with a soft plop on the tiled floor, then sizzled, a curl of smoke rising into the air. 

There was a gentle knock on the door. 

"A-Ava?" 

She didn’t answer. 

On the other side of the door, Odin shuffled from one foot to the other, rubbing the back of his head. He looked down at the cut, undoubtedly put there during their skirmish. The skin wasn’t even torn that deep. He pressed his thumb to the rising blood, pulling back when it started to sting. 

He exhaled sharply, ignoring the hovering purple giant behind him. He carried with him the ever-growing presence of mortality, watching, looming, following. Lately, the demon had showed a side of himself Odin had never witnessed for as long as they had been conjoined: adoration. The wraith made it clear that he longed for _something_ , and it had to do with the ever-perplexing Ava Ire. 

Odin turned to the utility closet, pulling out a first-aid kit. Three glowing, fuchsia eyes stared at the teenager. Pedri turned to look at the door, a quiet sadness pouring from his spirit, communing itself into Odin’s own emotions. He brushed it off, desperate to get outside and smoke his pipe. 

A long, yearning howl of wind rolled across the plains. 

————————————————————————————-

When Ava opened the restroom door, poking her head out in trepidation, the planet’s light had already faded into a hazy, dying sunset. 

She stepped out, hands clutched together against her chest. 

The ship was empty. The only visible aftermath of the argument was the forgotten bag of berries, still slumped on the floor. 

She heard the sound of humming coming from outside, and turned to follow it. Cautiously, Ava walked outside, only to see Odin sitting against a grey, barren tree. His legs were out-stretched, one on the other, an absent-minded bounce to his foot. He was concentrated on the journal laying in his lap, unaware of the girl as he puffed on his pipe. 

Ava drew closer. He peered up once distractedly, then again with startled recognition. He pulled the pipe from his mouth. 

The silence was awkward. Ava’s eyes fell down to his pale hand, a white bandage wrapped tightly around it. She sucked in a lungful of air, her body going stiff. 

He looked at his bandage, then back to her. 

"Ava, l-listen-" he began, but she quickly turned and started to retreat. 

"W-wait!" 

He jostled himself up, shutting his journal, going after the tiny girl. 

He jogged in front of her, blocking her path. 

"A-Ava, it’s okay…" he shuffled, blocking her restless movements. 

"No," she mumbled. 

"Wh-what? It’s o-okay, really, I…"

" **NO!** " she interjected, her voice rising above the stillness of the dead planet. 

He jerked, shutting his mouth. 

"No!" the redhead continued, flailing her arms. She was all movement, all impulsive energy. She paced side to side, hiding her face, then looking at him with the most pleading expression he had ever seen from the girl. 

" _I'm a monster,_ " she whispered. 

Odin tried to interject, shaking his head.

"Look at me!" she cried out. Her face was splotched with brilliant reds and golds, her eyes shimmering like molten lava. She slapped her small hands against her chest, clutching the coat’s fabric, scrunching her nails together, as if she were trying to tear something out of her. 

"Look at me," she repeated, the pain all too evident in her voice. "I am a monster. I’ve-I’ve…” she grabbed the back of her head, facing the ground. “I’ve killed people before.”

She looked up, and Odin’s heart lurched in his chest at the fear in her eyes.

" _I could kill you,_ " she told him.

She took a step backwards, her entire body and voice quivering. 

"Back there! I could have **easily** killed you.”

Odin’s jaw clenched. 

"B-but you wouldn’t."

A dry, defeated laugh escaped her lips. 

"But I could."

He shook his head, never breaking his gaze on the younger girl. 

"I-I don’t think y-you will," he stated decidedly. 

Ava’s chin tilted up, her bottom lip wobbling. She let the watery, salty tears roll down her cheeks; a scarce reminder of the humanity still in her.

Odin didn’t hesitate to reach out and pull her in an embrace. The hurt was so real, so evident, it made him blink back his own tears. 

The sky’s last sliver of light drew to a cold, dark end. In the morning, the pair would leave this frigid planet, the uncertainty of their future as violent as the whistling wind.


End file.
